Supply during a tech upgrade?

[Link2edition]

New player here. The soviets kicked off a war with me right after I had researched new infantry weapon tech and started producing it.

Is there any reason to keep producing the old tech? Will the new guns coming out of my factories be used to replace the older ones lost due to attrition? How will all of this be calculated?

I have a feeling it is making my supply situation look worse than it is. All of my divisions were 100% equipped before the upgrade and subsequent war started.

Thanks

 

[Bryartuck]

Is there any reason to keep producing the old tech?

Yes. The older weapons are cheaper to produce both in IC and resources. You will also take a production efficiency hit if you switch your factories over to the new weapons. if you don't have a big stockpile, I would suggest setting up a separate line for the new weapons. Then as your efficiency goes up, start switching the other factories over.

Will the new guns coming out of my factories be used to replace the older ones lost due to attrition?

Yes, but it depends on whether you have priority set to reinforcement or upgrades. They will go to the units marked as elite or high priority first, then filter to your other units.

 

[rcbricker33]

I would keep making them until the proficiency of the new line of weapons gets near max. The new ones will be funneled into your division to replace lost/old equipment. IF you switch over you will lose a lot of proficiency and since your equipment losses are high during war you could run out of equipment which will increase your losses. Vicious cycle.

 

[mursolini]

No, if you spent research to get better weapons, build them. But, do mind how you transition, don`t switch all factories to new weapons at once. Also keep in mind that new weapons tend to be more expencive, so you will have to devote more factories to it, so just assign new factories to new weapons, wait for them to gain efficiency, this will create a surpluss of old weapons, after which you can transition your old factories to new gear in a few peaces.

 

[Link2edition]

Thanks guys. I ended up beating the Russians, then the axis, and I am currently fighting the allies because when I beat the axis the allies claimed the territory I went to war with Germany over.

Your input has helped me a lot. Granted I think I am going to restart now because fighting the entire world at once is tedious and it is Dec 1949

 

[Dalwin]

It depends on two main considerations, in my opinion. The first it to note that the improved weapons use more steel. In the case of Germany, steel is essentially unlimited so this does not discourage you from upgrading. For Japan on the other hand, steel is a problem so upgrading infantry weapons should probably not ever be done as Japan.

The slower rate of production for new weapons as well as the temporary loss of production efficiency should both be compared to your current stockpile, taking into account your rate of losses to combat and attrition. If a complete immediate conversion would risk emptying your stockpile and facing shortages, then you should take a gradual approach as suggested above. However, if your stockpile is large enough that you do not picture ever having a shortage you should immediately convert all infantry weapon factories to the new tech as soon as it is developed.

This same logic involving potential resource shortfalls because of increased demand should be taken into consideration with upgrades other than infantry equipment as well. For example, if a new plane takes more aluminum, then Japan should probably not make that upgrade since they will always have aluminum problems. If the new model takes more oil instead, Japan can likely afford that if they have pushed into Malaya or Indonesia, or if they have built refineries.